Everybody Writes, 2nd Edition



86Writing for LinkedIn

The nature of the LinkedIn has changed. In the past few years, LinkedIn has become less buttoned-up: Less skinny jean, more relaxed-fit.

The vibe is looser, more freewheeling.

“Chunky or Smooth?” asked one of my connections in a LinkedIn Poll recently, apropos of absolutely nothing.

My friend does not work for a peanut butter manufacturer. She doesn't work for a jelly company, either. I voted Smooth.

Why is that?

I mean why is LinkedIn becoming more relaxed … not why did I vote Smooth. (That answer is obvious: Smooth is better.)

Is LinkedIn more relaxed because all of our collective stress over Covid means it's not just okay to be vulnerable … it's necessary? Have the rules eroded around what's considered “professional”?

Is it because we've destigmatized things we never used to talk about—mental health challenges, for example? Because we're more willing to take a public stand on social issues? (See Chapter 61.)

Is it because LinkedIn represents an alternative to Facebook for some of us?

Is it because the nature of communication itself has changed, as I said in the Introduction to this book?

Is it because Marketing has changed, especially in B2B? Do we have more understanding of the need to create emotional connections between brands and people? (See box at the end of this chapter.)

It's a mix of all those things, I suspect.

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LinkedIn's transformation from a digital Rolodex to a looser, daily content destination has ...